Missing Link
by Caleb1
Summary: After the Swords of Hate descend Utena finds herself at the surreal Ends of the World. What she faces there and the descion she makes casts a surprising new light on the nature of Ohtori.


[fic][Utena][Missing Link]  
By: Caleb  
By all means, let me know if you think I'm on to something or totally   
off base or if you're wondering what the hell is going on or any other   
feedback at: caleb_david@angelfire.com   
Revolutionary Girl Utena is the creation and property of Ikuhara-sama   
and various other entities, none of whom happen to be me. I'm just   
borrowing them without permission. Considerable spoilers and   
considerable weirdness abound in this fic. Consider yourself warned.  
  
  
  
Missing Link  
  
  
Akio couldn't help but flinch as the world was smashed to   
pieces before his very eyes. When he reopened them and looked through   
the elevator door everything was back to normal. Regaining his   
composure, the Prince strode back into his domain. The last rays of   
the setting sun revealed that the sparse furniture had been overturned   
during the struggle which had recently transpired.  
  
"Anthy?" called Akio with a tinge of apprehension. No   
response. Now with agitation, "Anthy!" Still no response. Damn.   
Where was she? This had better not be some game. Still, he had seen   
her fall... Though he didn't want to think it Akio found himself   
looking down from one of the shutter openings. Though the images had   
been illusions, projections of myth, Akio was old enough to not   
discount myths to readily, there was often some truth underlying them.   
Even if Anthy hadn't really fallen Akio was unnerved by what he'd   
witnessed.  
  
Damn her. Most likely she was just off in some corner   
sulking over this latest failure. She could at least let him know she   
was alright; she knew he'd be worried sick about her. But she probably   
was getting back at him for what'd happened to her precious Utena-sama.   
Some nerve, considering who'd back stabbed her. Damn that passive   
aggressive bitch.   
  
As Akio turned back toward the elevator, determined to find   
Anthy, he heard a pained moan come from the other side of the   
projector. Changing his course, he passed by the bleeding and   
convulsing hero, teeth gritted against unimaginable pain. "Anthy, I'm   
sorry..." Akio stopped and turned around, surprised.   
  
"Even in the end you won't hate her, will you? No... the one   
your hating is yourself." There was a lot of blood. Akio turned Utena   
over and examined the wound. "*tsk* Idiot, you made this a lot worse   
with your pointless heroics. If you would have just laid low I could   
have patched this up, but there's internal bleeding now." Utena didn't   
have long to live. Akio pulled out his cell phone and began to dial,   
but then stopped as he realized there wasn't enough time for an   
ambulance.  
  
Shrugging his shoulders, Akio got up to leave, but at that   
moment Utena lost her battle to hold in the screams being ripped out of   
her by hundreds of slashing and stabbing swords. If only they were   
real, for then surely she would have died and the torture would be   
over. Then surely they would have severed her nerves, cutting off the   
pain. But each impalation brought to the body the shock of a fresh   
injury and left the mind with the dread anticipation of further pain   
and the soul with no hope for respite. "Oh God...Make it stop! Please   
make it stop! Dios? My prince? Where are you... why... why have you   
forsaken me?!"  
  
Akio remembered those words well. In the end they all said   
that. It was a sorry sight indeed, but Utena had brought it upon her   
self. This was the price all who pretended to princehood paid. The   
price for getting everyone's hopes up and failing to then deliver the   
impossible. He owed her nothing. And yet he found himself picking   
Utena up and putting her in the passenger seat of his car. It was   
because of Anthy he told himself. If she came back here while he was   
searching for her and found Utena like this it would be a bad thing.   
Yes, that was it. First thing to do was put away the pieces.   
  
Grabbing the passenger seat and windshield Akio flipped over   
Utena and into the drivers seat. As the engine roared to life Akio   
noticed a girl with a bow in her hair standing to the side of the car   
and holding a street sign that read Stage Lane. Up ahead was another   
girl with twin pigtails holding up twin signs that read: "Hospital:   
Exit Stage Left Museum: Exit Stage Right." "Idiots. I don't   
need stage cues," growled Akio as he spun the wheel to the left and   
sped off like a bat out of hell.  
  
A moment later a black car emerged from the shadow underneath   
the projector. It looked exactly like the Akio car, excepting the   
color and the license plate that read kagecar. Sitting in the drivers   
seat was a girl wearing a headband who had arm draped familiarly around   
an object concealed by a Shroud. "Don't worry Utena-sama, we're almost   
there," declared the driver as she turned the radio to the Shadow girl   
theme and turned the car to the right, right into the side of the   
Chairman's tower. *CRASH*   
  
"Oops, the cursed clutch and misplaced steering wheel threw   
me off! You okay Utena-sama? On the bright side at least we didn't go   
between those arches. That's one long drop. Ooh, I knew this was a   
stupid idea. I told them I didn't have my license yet, but they   
insisted and told me the first part needed two sets of signs, so I was   
stuck with this. *sigh* Being the odd man out sucks, I get stuck with   
all the crazy roles. Anyway, we're here Utena-sama. Let me help you   
out."  
  
*   
* *  
  
"Wow! I didn't know the chairmen had such an amazing   
museum!" squealed B-ko as she ran back and forth, trying to take in   
all the historical works. "Oh, look at this, it's a signed first   
edition of "The Origin Of The Species" and it's got my picture on the   
back!"  
  
"That's your reflection idiot. See, someone put a mirror on   
the back cover," explained A-ko.  
  
"Oh. Hey, this is a cool painting. This guys on the right   
is Plato, right? Even with that heavy beard of old age weighing him   
down he gestures up to the heavens."  
  
"Actually, that's really Leonardo. Plato rejected the Gods,   
but in his old age became a bitter man recommending a state propped up   
with a fabricated religion because people were to dumb to be moral on   
their own."  
  
"Oh, but I thought Plato was a rather spiritual guy, he   
certainly looks like it in this picture. And wouldn't the people   
eventually figure out that the religion was just a fake?"  
  
"For the last time, that pictures not really Plato, that beard   
and gesture are Leonardo's! It was Porphyry's interpretations that   
created the Neo-Platonic idealization of Plato. And the people   
wouldn't ever question the religion because Plato proposed a death   
sentence for any doubters."  
  
"He'd kill people for doubting a religion that he made up?!   
Boy, talk about a bitter old man. Well, let's check out this "Theology   
of Aristotle" then. Ooh, it's one of the original Arabic translations.   
This must be worth a fortune. Check this out, Aristotle's got some   
pretty cool ideas in here."  
  
"Aristotle didn't write that. Some Neoplatonist concocted it   
in the fifth century and the Muslims mistook it for a genuine work of   
the Stagirite. The real Aristotle was a down to earth scientists who'd   
have nothing to do with theology."   
  
"Oh... Hey! Isn't that the Shroud of Tur-"  
  
"Forgery made by a church in need of a holy relic. A   
scientific study showed the pattern was just pigment painted on the   
shroud several hundred years ago."  
  
"A-ko! Stop being such a kill joy and contradicting   
everything I say. Aren't you in the least bit impressed by any of   
this? This is our cultural heritage that's reached down through the   
ages to shape our present world and even the very patterns of our   
minds!"  
  
"Um... B-ko? We're Japanese. These are all Western works."  
  
"See! Your doing it again!"  
  
"Ah! Young Mademolises, you are just in time for ze unveiling   
of our newest addition," announced C-ko as A-ko cringed at her bad   
accent. She was dressed up in a black and white striped shirt with a   
red beret and an even sillier looking fake mustache (for it goes   
without saying that berets look silly). "Zis is my masterpiece upon I   
have labored long and hard. Viola!" C-ko pulled on a drawstring,   
lifting up the Shroud which concealed her statue.  
  
"Hmmm," murmured A-ko as she narrowed her eyes and critically   
appraised the work.   
  
"Ooh, it's real nice C-ko. You're so creative. The wings are   
a lovely touch."  
  
"Creative?! It's a rip off of promotional artwork done in the   
style of the Greek Nikes, which is totally inappropriate considering   
Utena was hardly victorious! Weren't you paying any attention C-ko?   
Not only did Utena fail to beat the final bad guy and save the   
princess, but she was mortally wounded to boot!"  
  
"A-ko, don't make a scene," pleaded B-ko. Then she turned to   
C-ko, "I'm sorry, don't take her personally. She's so touchy cause she   
really believed in Utena to the very end. That'd she'd become a real   
Prince and Revolutionize the World. It really is a very nice statue."   
  
"Nice?! It's a wildly inaccurate forgery. What the hell is up   
with the wings! Utena never had wings! Think of all the people who   
will see this and get the wrong idea."  
  
"How do you know Utena wasn't an angel?" countered C-ko.   
"The pic I used for the model came off the net, so it must be true.   
They say her body was never found, in fact, I've heard that at the last   
moment Dios saved her. They must have ascended to heaven by now and   
are living happily ever after."  
  
"Bull crap! The reason her body is never going to be found   
is Akio made off with it and is probably dumping it in an incinerator   
as we speak. I can't believe how gullible you two saps are, believing   
every pretty little made up story you hear," said A-ko as she threw up   
her hands in disgust.  
  
"A-ko," said B-ko gently, "you're getting so hung up on the   
details that I think your missing what's truly important."   
  
"Oh yeah?! Well at least I've got reality. You guys are   
completely missing the truth."  
  
"A-ko, how'd your audition go?" asked C-ko.  
  
"Huh? Oh it was great. I think I've got a good shot at   
getting the part, but what's that got to do with anything?"  
  
"How'd you end up working up the nerve to try out? Did   
something... or _someone_ inspire you?" prodded B-ko.  
  
"Uh, well... maybe a little, but I still don't see what this   
has to do with..."   
  
"And what about what happened after you took B-ko out to   
"celebrate" that night? The A-ko I knew at the start of the quarter   
never would have had the guts to do that. I wonder if perhaps someone   
inspired you there? I wonder, I wonder, do you know what I wonder?"  
  
"Y-You were watching?!" exclaimed a blushing A-ko.  
  
"A-ko, I don't think it so much matters whether Utena was   
victorious or lost, whether she's dead or alive," explained an also   
blushing B-ko. "What's really important was her life; how everyone who   
met her was inspired and had their life profoundly changed by her. And   
that even those who never met her will be inspired by her story   
throughout the ages. With art and myths, I think what's important is   
not that they're completely accurate, but that they make us proud to be   
human and inspire us to live up to our potential..."   
  
"Uh, B-ko, I hate to interrupt your great speech, but it's   
time for us to do the voice overs for the last scene," interrupted C-  
ko.  
  
"Ah, I love the song that plays then," sighed B-ko. As if on   
cue the radio station the kagecar was tuned to started playing Baiser.   
"Ahh, this has got to be the prettiest song of all."  
  
"Silly. You said that about the opening to the Overture   
also," teased A-ko. "Hey, you know what this songs other name is B-  
ko?"   
  
"Nope. I just always called it that-really-pretty-song-that-  
plays-right-near-the-end."  
  
"Is it Aphrodite Ascension?" guessed C-ko.   
  
"Nope. The other name is... *CHU*"   
  
"Real smooth, A-ko, but you guys can practice that anytime   
you want, we've got to get going... ACK! Look out B-ko!" warned C-ko,   
too late. A blissful B-ko was leaning back against a statue of a nude   
goddess which was starting to tip over. B-ko suddenly found herself   
without support and fell over backward with A-ko landing on top of her.   
The statue crashed into another nearby statue, smashing to pieces and   
setting off a chain reaction of destruction before C-ko's horrified   
eyes.  
  
"Look what you've done you two! You killed Venus!"   
admonished C-ko as she dodged a chunk of falling ceiling and helped the   
two girls lying admits the ruins of the fallen goddess to their feet.  
  
"Quick, we've got to get out of here before this turns into   
another skit where we get killed at the end! To the kagecar girls!"   
shouted A-ko as she struck a dramatic pose.  
  
"Uh guys, about the car..."  
  
  
  
"ACHOO!" Akio gave his car a queer look, wondering why the   
hell there would be sneezing on the radio. Shrugging, Akio decided not   
to waste anymore time with this weird station and flipped the dial.   
"The orbit of Pluto, Plato, a circumscribed circle. The orbit of Sol,   
Plato, an inscribed circle." "Nonexistent circle," corrected Akio as   
he finally reached his favorite station, 66.6, all Akio car theme all   
the time.   
  
"I never showed you the Ends of the World, did I Tenjou?"   
said Akio to his unhearing passenger. "Well, now it's your turn." The   
engine roared like a beast unleashed as the car began to accelerate   
unnaturally fast, 40...80...160...320...640... Utena's pained moans   
increased in intensity, as if the depths of the sword thrusts were   
linked to the gas pedal Akio was mercilessly grinding into the floor.   
With a final burst the Akio car reached a speed at which the street   
lights along the deserted highway and the pain throughout Utena's body   
climaxed into one blur.   
  
"Does it hurt Utena?" snarled Akio as he focused all his   
attention on tackling the corners at such an insane speed. "It's not   
me who's causing your pain though, it's the world. The world can't   
abide Princes. It always ends up destroying them. Princes are only   
allowed in my world. Any who try to leave it will soon find themselves   
at the End of the World. But don't worry, they'll return you to my   
world after they're through with you. They always regret it after they   
finish off a Prince, so they always return him to my safe, secure   
world. Akio let loose a bitter laugh, "They're already making images   
of you as an angel you know."  
  
"Anthy..." moaned Utena as a silent silver tear began to   
slowly make it's way down her face.  
  
Akio glared at her and then continued, "I wish for once   
they'd tell the last chapter of the Prince's story right. Once the   
Prince gets bit by the snake he's dead and that's it, he doesn't get to   
go see his damned precious rose. You understand Utena?" Utena just   
continued to cry.   
  
Off to the right a tempest started brewing as a grave came   
into view. Akio's face softened as he continued, "I suppose there are   
less harsh alternatives for the final chapter. We're near the village   
that was once known as Herai, Utena. Do you know who's grave that's   
said to be? I like that as an ending to his story much better. That   
he gave up all that craziness and escaped to Japan, raised a family,   
and lived a good long life. Hell, I find that a lot more credible than   
the "official" account. Like the judge, I was always suspicious about   
how quickly he gave up the ghost. And his death was only confirmed by   
one officer, wonder how much it took to pay him off? Doubt is was   
much, the officials didn't really care about doing him in. Just   
appeasing local sentiment."   
  
Akio looked down at Utena's swollen and bruised hands. Still   
affixed to her ring finger was the rose signet. He gently took her   
left hand in his and kissed the tears from her eyes. Inside of her he   
could feel her mind breaking down. "I'll become a prince... Foolish   
human, there never was such a thing as a prince... Do you love   
Himemiyia?... Himemiyia, you and I... But I can't... not anymore...   
I'll save her from you... Wrong! This is the only way she can be   
happy... I'm sorry for being a make believe prince... Your my   
sister's, no, my good friend... A LIE! ALL OF IT WAS LIES! MY LIFE   
WAS A JOKE BASED ON A LIE! THEY ALL USED ME, but... but I let them,   
because I wanted to live in that make believe world..."  
  
"Poor thing. You, Anthy, I, we can't be happy in the   
outside world. It's only in that inner world that we can have what we   
want. I will give you a parting gift," Akio leaned over and kissed   
Utena's rose signet. "As long as you wear this ring you may use my   
power... Oh shit!"   
  
Akio looked up just in time to see that they'd reached a dead   
end. He desperately spun the wheel to the right, but the car was   
doomed. However, the passengers side door flew open and Utena was   
thrown clear into a hedge before the Akio car slammed into the Tokyo   
General hospital with a sickening crunch.   
  
"What the hell did you think you were doing! Damned   
motorists these days think they're God. You're lucky to be alive!"   
yelled a doctor at a groaning Akio who was clutching his bleeding   
forehead. The doctor spared Akio one last withering glance before he   
reached Utena. "Holy shit! This girl needs to get to the ER ASAP!   
Damn, and I was just about to go home."   
  
Wasting no time, the doctor whipped out his cell phone. "I   
need a table with an IV and a coagulant out here on the double! And   
I've got a blood sample that needs to be rushed down to the lab so we   
can get a proper transfusion ready...what? Screw the universal   
precautions! There's a life fading here while you waste my time!"  
  
"She's B positive," said Akio as he unsteadily rose from the   
now flaming wreckage of his car.   
  
"Wha...How the hell can you still... No, I'm not talking to   
you idiot! Just send an IV of B positive after that table! As for you   
for mister hot shot driver, as long as you can talk I've got some   
questions for you!"  
  
Akio was too tough to be taken out by an over 600 kph crash,   
but he'd just about reached his limit. His precious car was ruined,   
the doctor's attitude was starting to grate on his nerves (Akio really   
really disliked self-righteous people), and he had blood dripping into   
his left eye (Akio also disliked blood, he'd made a point of banning it   
from campus his first day as acting chairman). This all was a good   
reminder of why he avoided venturing into the world outside Ohtori.   
The sooner he got out of here and back home the better.   
  
"Taxi!" called Akio as he casually, despite his injuries,   
managed to both wave down a nearby green taxi and leap clear of his   
conflagration of a car. Before the taxi had even came to a stop Akio   
used a half cartwheel half flip to get over the hood and onto the   
passenger side. "I hate to leave her here like this," thought Akio as   
he jumped into the cab, "but it's not like I don't have a couple spare   
cars at home. Damn this is humiliating, I could never stand using a   
taxi regularly."   
  
"Wait!" cried the doctor as he stood up with Utena in his   
arms. "You forgot your..." KABOOM! The doctor was knocked back down   
as the explosion of the Akio car drowned out his last word, "key."   
  
"Oh well," thought the doctor as he got back up and rushed   
Utena to the IV table, "such an irresponsible guy who runs away   
deserves to misplace those. I've got a life to save."   
  
  
*   
* *   
  
  
The first thing Utena became aware of, besides the dull pain   
in her heart, was the sound of an organ being played by a tall pale man   
with a dark blue robe and eyes obscured in a deep fathomless darkness.   
It was a sad haunting piece, foreshadowing the death of a Greek youth   
after he barely failed to rescue his beloved from hell. The image of   
Anthy's hand slipping from hers flashed through Utena's mind.  
  
"Anthy!" Utena forced her eyes open, the dried up blood that   
had glued her eyelids shut making it a considerable task. A gasp   
escaped from Utena as she realized where she was. This was the place   
where it had all started, where her destiny had been set in motion.   
The church.  
  
Utena gulped as she noticed she was suspended in mid air.   
She tried to move, but found swords were pinning her against a cross on   
the wall. It wasn't that bad though, the swords were no longer   
actively harassing her and she'd gotten used to the aching pain. The   
only sword that really hurt was the Sword of Diablo piercing her   
abdomen. At least it wasn't Anthy impaled this time, that was some   
consolation.   
  
Utena's eyes were drawn across the chasm to the stained   
glass. To her surprise she saw that her story was captured in those   
windows. Thirty nine panes cast their soft light like a spotlight onto   
the three coffins in the center of the church. There was one final   
circular window, bigger than all the rest. Above the crucifix in the   
center of the church, it's black surface waited hungrily to be filled   
in. "I'm afraid there's nothing left to be said," apologized Utena to   
the blank window. Except...  
  
Utena closed her eyes as she remembered her first meeting   
with Dios. Opening them she saw her younger self looking up at Dios.   
"I will! I'll become a prince and save her!"  
  
"So impressed was the little princess by the prince that she   
vowed to become a prince herself one day. But was that really such a   
good idea?" mocked the shadows.   
  
"No, it wasn't," replied Utena. "A girl couldn't become a   
prince. And besides..."  
  
"There never was such a thing as a prince," mocked Dios as he   
morphed into Akio.   
  
Anger flared up in Utena at Akio's mocking know it all grin.   
This was not the pure anger she had let out when confronted with   
injustice. This was a dark venomous hatred, slowly twisting her   
insides as it futilely tried to find some outlet. A LIE! MY LIFE WAS   
ALL BASED ON HIS ILLUSION! Utena felt her heart, which had once loved   
this man, began to harden. At least it wasn't aching as much like   
this. "I wish that I'd never met you that night!"  
  
"Oh, but who would have saved you then?" asked Akio as he   
looked down on Utena. Looked down? She was off the cross! Turning   
back she saw her limp unmoving body still crucified. Examining   
herself, Utena blushed at her lack of attire, well not complete lack,   
she still was wearing her ring. With a warning snarl at a leering   
Akio, she hastily bandaged her chest. "You still seem intent on being   
a prince instead of a princess," smirked Akio. "If you'd never met me   
you'd never had the opportunity to be a prince, and... you'd never   
have met Anthy. Would you give up being a prince... and your memories   
of Anthy?"  
  
"Anthy... I'm sorry, but I can't be your prince anymore...   
it's to painful for me to bear... if only... if only we could have met   
for real and not as pretend prince and princess, but it's to late...   
I'm sorry I'm not stronger... but I have to let this all go... it's   
tearing me apart... I'm sorry I couldn't save you..." with tears in her   
eyes Utena cut her hair and let it fall atop the coffin on the far   
right. "Farewell."  
  
"You mustn't open your heart to the Ends of the World or the   
Rose Bride."  
  
"I should have listened to you," thought Utena. "And your   
sister. You both tried to warn me." With a deep breath Utena closed   
her heart. It hurt her more than all the tortures she'd endured from   
the swords. When she looked up Akio's eyes narrowed in surprise.  
  
"My, my, you're no longer a child, are you? Who'd have ever   
thought the open and care free Utena would ever put on such jaded   
armor. You're outward personality has practically flipped, though I   
guess it's no surprise after how you were betrayed. Welcome to   
adolescence Utena, you're well on your way to becoming a cynical adult   
like myself."  
  
"How dare you! I'll never let myself end up like you. I'm   
through with you!"  
  
"How fortunate for you then, you no longer need be caught up   
in his unfathomable game. Forget about him and his duels for the power   
to revolutionize the world. You wished to save the Rose Bride, but in   
the end she betrayed you. You wished to be a prince, but in the end   
you couldn't live up to it. Well, this is an excellent chance for you   
to go back to being a normal girl, isn't it?" Utena let out a yelp of   
fright as Touga emerged from the center coffin, bearing two bouquets of   
Roses, one white and one black.  
  
"T-Touga?! What's with the black uniform?"  
  
"Why, isn't it traditional to wear black at a funeral?"   
smirked Touga as he leapt the chasm and laid the white roses at the   
feet of the crucified prince. After mumbling some prayers of last   
respects Touga leapt back over to the coffins and presented the black   
roses to Utena. "And these are for you my lady. Even with your   
femininity concealed your beauty calls to me more loudly than the   
chorus of all the girls of the academy combined."  
  
"W-why are you here Touga," said Utena blushing, as she   
accepted the fragrant roses. Their scent was remarkably similar to   
that of the poppy.  
  
"Because I can't ignore a damsel in distress, of course,"   
declared Touga as he closed in on Utena. She gasped as he pulled her   
in close and whispered, "It's the nature of being a prince."  
  
A prince. Yes, she had mistaken him for her prince at first   
because he'd been there that night too. And he'd sincerely wanted to   
be her prince at the end. If only I'd let him be my prince... if only   
you would have saved me that time, then I never would have met him and   
gotten those notions about being a prince that hurt me and her so   
badly. Then I could have lived the safe life of a normal girl with a   
normal romance. Just that one slight change would make such a huge   
difference. Utena closed her eyes and drew closer as she thought   
desperately, "I wish you'd been the one who saved me, Touga."  
  
Akio laughed as Touga grinned triumphantly at him. "Is this   
your revenge against me? I could care less what you do now, you're of   
no more use to me. Mikage was right about how similar you were, you're   
doing just as he did after I defeated him. I'll warn you Touga, the   
prince inside her isn't completely dead. When that desire begins to   
reawaken it will destroy you so it can assert itself."  
  
"If that is my destiny, so be it. I will gladly follow my   
lady, even to the Ends of the World if need be. Shall we go Utena?"   
Utena's nodded in reply and then climbed inside the little girl in the   
remaining coffin and started to slide the lid shut. The last thing she   
felt before comforting darkness engulfed her was Touga's hand gently   
slipping through her hair.   
  
  
  
"Bubble gum pink hair? Oh, you mean her. Well, why didn't   
you say so in the first place, not many freaks... er (-_-; boy, she can   
go from kawai to kowai real fast)... people with hair like that. Yes,   
there's a Jane Doe matching that description here."  
  
"Tenjou Utena."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I told you her name was Tenjou Utena. She's a friend of   
mine whom I'd like to see. Now."  
  
"Um, I'm afraid that would be against our policy," gulped the   
receptionist. The girl was still smiling at him, but he had the   
feeling you did _not_ want to get on her bad side. Plus that freaky   
monkey-mouse thing was starting to creep him out, what with the way it   
had climbed up onto the counter and was drinking his coffee while it's   
tail swished back and forth, back and forth, like an agitated cats.   
And now... oh my God, it must have been his imagination, but he swore   
it was eyeing the Ctrl Alt Del keys on his computer.   
  
"Um, but I don't supposed it'd hurt to let you see her for   
just a minute since your an old friend of hers, and uh, is this um,   
thing yours?" said the receptionist nervously as he pointed at the   
monkey that was currently typing Utena's name into the mental   
hospital's database.  
  
"ChuChu! Behave yourself," admonished Anthy as ChuChu   
climbed back onto her shoulder. Then she bowed to the receptionist,   
"Thank you, it's been to long since I've last seen her."  
  
"Well, I should warn you, she's not like you remember her,"   
cautioned the receptionist as he led Anthy down the hallway. "We know   
something traumatic happened to her because she just showed up at the   
ER one day with this big ol bleeding stab wound through her guts which   
nearly killed her. Man, wait til you get a load of the scar it left.   
Front and back. And the entry wound was in the back, so some honorless   
creep must have driven a katana from behind; you see a street knife   
would be to short to go all the way through. The way I see it the   
back-stabber must have been a real sadist, cause he could have killed   
her quickly by bringing the blade out with a slash and ripping through   
her, but he wanted her to die a slow lingering death, so he withdrew   
the blade without doing anymore damage. What a sicko..."  
  
"*Ahem*.   
  
"Uh, anyway (why'd she get so uncomfortable? I guess girls   
got no stomach for blood and guts), turned out the physical wound,   
nasty as it was, wasn't the most severe. Nope, the wound to her psyche   
must have been much deeper, cause she's completely withdrawn inside   
herself. She just sits in her room all day with a blank look on her   
face, doesn't respond to anything going on around her. There's no   
damage to the hardware though, and when we scanned her brain we were   
surprised to find that there's a lot of activity going on in there,   
looks real similar to a sleeping persons scan, but not as random. I   
figure what ever happened to her must have been so awful that's she's   
run away into her own personal dream that's protecting her from   
reality. It's quite tragic."  
  
"I see." The receptionist regretted that he didn't have any   
good news for the girl. When she'd first come in she'd been quite   
vibrant and full of life, but he'd noted her become increasingly   
pensive as he'd informed her of her friends condition. Poor thing was   
going to need someone to support her. ...And she was real cute.  
  
"Well, here we are," announced the receptionist as they came   
to door E 40. "Your friends on the other side. After you see her how   
about we grab a bite to eat? There's a really great Indian restaurant   
around the corner. Their curry is the best, real spicy. We could   
discuss options for how to take care of your friend in the future."   
  
Anthy smiled in amusement. "Thanks for the offer," she   
replied as she opened the door, "but I've already got other plans."   
The receptionist was momentarily crestfallen, but his spirit picked up   
as he saw the girl shine again like she had when she'd first came in.   
Her whole face lit up as she beheld once again her prince who had   
believed in; believed in her and fought for her even after her   
betrayal. How she'd longed for this moment.   
  
Not that the journey had been tiresome or dreary, Anthy had   
actually enjoyed rediscovering the joy of the simple things of a world   
that she had long ago taken for granted; the aura and roar that   
surrounded waterfalls, the varied smells and tastes of summer festival,   
the sound of crickets chirping while one lazily watched the evening   
fireflies. But through it all had been the nagging knowledge that   
something was missing; that special person to share it with. That   
person who'd be there through all the joys and trials of life.   
"Utena..."   
  
Despite the fact that his brain told him is was completely   
irrational the receptionist half expected Utena to miraculously spring   
up at the sight of her friends joyful face. Why, even the dead would   
surely come back to life to see such radiance. "Utena?" But Utena did   
not even stir to her friends now pleading whisper.   
  
Anthy's face fell for a moment, but then she held her head up   
with a look of fierce determination burning in her eyes. "Yes, I've   
got other plans. You see, I'm taking Utena out to dinner tonight.   
Please leave us."  
  
There were many things the receptionist wanted to say to her.   
Such as what she was asking was definitely against hospital policy.   
That it was utterly crazy to think Utena would suddenly magically get   
better just because she wanted her to. But instead he found himself   
quietly closing the door and heading back up front. That girl had a   
special charm that was hard to say no to. If anyone could bring Utena   
back from where ever she'd ran away to it was her. He wished them both   
the best of luck.  
  
  
"Utena... I'm sorry," began Anthy as she caressed Utena's   
face and hair. "Perhaps you don't want to see me. I hurt you badly,   
didn't I? But I'm a selfish woman Utena, I don't think I can go on   
without you. If I were to lose you too I might as well follow my   
brother, so please..." Unable to express her self with words Anthy   
embraced Utena in a fierce kiss. God, she'd wanted to do this for so   
long. Surely something in Utena would resonate with her desire. But   
Utena was as unresponsive as a plastic doll.  
  
Anthy forced herself to stop. She did want to make love to   
Utena, but not like this. Though she was hardly the moralist, it still   
felt wrong. ChuChu got a fan out of the purse and started cooling his   
mistress off. Anthy sighed as the gentle breeze calmed her down, she   
just wasn't used to going more than a week without. Getting in bed   
with Utena had been near the top of her to do list once they were   
reunited, but she'd do it fair and square.   
  
She remembered clearly when it first started. It'd been the   
day Utena was showing off those earrings to ChuChu. She'd looked very   
feminine without losing any of that special strength that made her   
Utena. And the way she was flaunting it had been so naively seductive.   
Like a maiden flower in full bloom, beckoning with it's sweet,   
intoxicating pollen. That was the moment when she'd realized she   
wanted Utena. It was frustrating that Utena hadn't seemed to notice   
her arousal; it'd been clearly visible in her riding up shirt. For a   
moment she'd felt like she really was a teenager, just awakening to the   
uncharted world of sexuality.   
  
Yes, because of Utena so many things inside of her had been   
awakened. She'd save Utena no matter what. Bringing her forehead up   
to Utena's third eye, Anthy began to gaze into the mind reflected   
there. Anthy let out a sigh of relief; Utena was here, just hidden   
very deep within the recesses of her own mind. She was on a flight of   
fancy around the Castle. Anthy gritted her teeth in exertion as she   
tried to get closer to Utena, but it did no good. A flash of light   
erupted from Utena's forehead and threw Anthy back. Utena was both   
armed and armored to repel any attempts of the outside world to intrude   
upon her sanctuary.   
  
Well, if she couldn't get at Utena directly from the outside   
she'd have to go inside Utena's fantasy world. "Chu?" said ChuChu   
worriedly.   
  
"I'm sorry ChuChu. You've been a good companion, but this is   
one journey you won't be able to follow me on. Yes, it's pretty stupid   
to do a mind meld with an insane mind, but love is reckless you know.   
Even if I lose my mind too and forget where I came from it will be   
worth it, just to be with her again. I'll become a knight and pursue   
you toward the Castle Utena."  
  
The Castle... Anthy stopped and wondered if she was really   
being as heroic as she sounded. No, she was just being selfish again.   
The truth was she'd gladly enter hell if she could once again be with   
the one she loved. She wasn't really intending to save Utena, she just   
wanted to be reunited with her Prince. Wait... if she forgot reality   
and her subconscious merged with Utena's to shape that inner world it   
would be possible to meet him again. That which was no longer possible   
in this world would be there.  
  
Anthy wasn't sure whether to be excited or terrified by the   
possibility. She had truly loved him, otherwise she wouldn't miss him   
so, wouldn't feel so guilty. It was her fault for leaving him. That's   
what drove him to it. What a cruel woman she was. Leaving him even   
though she was the one who'd seduced him and dragged him down to her   
level.   
  
Anthy gazed back at Utena and wondered if she had the right   
to do this. Her brother and she were the one's who'd hurt Utena and   
whom she'd run from. By merging her mind with Utena's she'd be   
shattering Utena's peaceful world and reintroducing the very things her   
world had been created to keep out. And yet...   
  
"I'm going to be selfish again, Utena, but there's more to it   
than that. Your last words were a promise. And I promised you that   
we'd laugh and have tea and cookies together," Anthy pulled a red rose   
out of her purse and placed it into Utena's hands, clasping them with   
her own. "I can't help but feel it's destiny that has led us to   
meeting again like this. Perhaps it's best for us to start over.   
Forgetting everything will let us meet each other again, but for the   
first time as we really are. Whatever happens now, after we've come so   
far, don't forget the promise we made to each other," Anthy looked into   
Utena's eyes one last time, then with a final thought merged her mouth   
and mind with Utena's. "Someday... someday we'll shine together." 


End file.
